]]>Albert MohlerPres. Obama concedes reality of war with terrorists despite denouncing view in past || Popularity of ISIS reminder of weakness of theologically disarmed American worldview || Effects of including women in all combat roles begin to sink in
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00:20:44The Briefing,Audio,Isis,Muslims,Obama,Women In Combat,WorldviewWhat the Election Reveals About Us, and Why We Vote as We Dohttp://www.albertmohler.com/2014/11/05/what-the-election-reveals-about-us-and-why-we-vote-as-we-do/
Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:08:33 +0000/?p=33134Campaigning over the weekend, President Obama said, “The American people are with us on all the big issues.” He continued, “You know it. I know…

]]>Campaigning over the weekend, President Obama said, “The American people are with us on all the big issues.” He continued, “You know it. I know it. The polls show it.”

Yet the midterm election yesterday did not affirm President Obama’s statement. In fact, yesterday’s election is what political scientists classify as a “wave election.” The “wave” became evident early on Tuesday evening and it continued throughout election night as Republicans won key seats in the Senate. Even as some elections are still yet to be called, it is clear that the Republican Party has gained control of the United States Senate and now holds control of both the House and the Senate for the first time in eight years .

Furthermore, the pickup in the Senate was even beyond what most Republican analysts had estimated. With Senatorial elections in the states of Louisiana and Alaska still pending, the Republican Party has already picked up seven seats. This is a massive change for America’s political system. Coming in the sixth year of President Obama’s administration, this midterm election is a massive check upon his presidential power and will inevitably be seen as a political judgment upon the President’s leadership. This is due to the fact that the President of the United States is also seen as the symbolic head of his political party – in this case the Democratic Party.

Key Senate elections were won by Republicans in the states of West Virginia, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and also in the state of North Carolina. The change of party control in the Senate will mean that the Republicans now hold key decision-making positions, especially in terms of the key committee chairmanships. Furthermore, the Senate’s very important constitutional role in the confirmation of presidential appointees will also be a major factor in the last two years of the Obama administration. In short, the next two years are going to be very politically interesting.

Claiming victory last night in his own Senatorial contest in Kentucky, Senator Mitch McConnell, who is also now the majority leader, pledged to work with President Obama in a bipartisan consensus where that is possible. Today President Obama is expected to address the nation with his response to the midterm elections. Americans are going to be watching in order to see if indeed the President of the United States and a Republican-controlled Congress can govern together on issues in which there might actually be common concern.

Yet yesterday’s election results also point to the continuing and deepening partisan divide in America. Christians watching this must understand that this partisan divide is not merely a political issue—it is a worldview issue. What divides these two parties is not primarily personalities or regionalism. Instead, what divides these two parties are their visions of political stability, morality, and even what it means to aim for human flourishing. Both parties represent competing worldviews and the most loyal members of each party recognize this reality. What separates these parties from one another are the answers they provide to such basic questions as the meaning of human life, our understanding of morality and even our understanding of marriage.

In last night’s wave election, several very strategic governorships were also on the line. Republicans won key contests in states including Florida, Iowa, Kansas, and even the state of Massachusetts—one of most deeply democratic states in the entire nation. Yet there were other very important issues faced by voters in respective states. In the state of Oregon, for example, voters supported a measure legalizing marijuana. This comes even after the Governor of Colorado warned other states that they should avoid the kind of reckless experimentation that he suggested his own state had engaged in by legalizing recreational marijuana two years ago. In Washington, D.C. voters approved an initiative legalizing recreational marijuana. Yet this vote will not affect the vast areas within the district that are controlled by the federal government. Further, since the D.C. government is ultimately under the control of Congress, Congress may also intervene in this situation. Voters in Alaska also passed a similar proposition known as Measure 2. Meanwhile, an effort to legalize so-called medical marijuana narrowly failed in the state of Florida. It gained more than 50% of the vote but that was short of the 60% that was necessary in order to affect the change.

On the issue of abortion, the states of Colorado and North Dakota turned back personhood amendments—amendments that would have criminalized any assault upon an unborn fetus. In the case of both states, this was a significant setback for the pro-life cause. But the pro-life cause won a huge victory in the state of Tennessee where voters approved Amendment 1—an amendment to that state’s constitution that would allow significant restrictions upon the availability of abortion. This is especially important since Tennessee had become a so-called ‘destination state’ for abortions in the American Mid-South.

The vote in Tennessee, however, was also was deeply revealing. The vote on Amendment 1 demonstrated a very significant moral divide, political divide, and thus a worldview divide between rural and urban voters in that state. Urban voters overwhelmingly voted against Amendment 1 and thus in favor of unrestricted abortion rights. On the other hand, voters in rural Tennessee overwhelmingly voted for Amendment 1. This simply affirms something that political scientists have known for a very long time—rural voters generally vote in a far more conservative pattern than urban or Metropolitan voters. This is in some respects due to the fact that cities tend to draw together persons with more liberal worldviews. At the same time, it also reflects the fact that cities have a liberalizing effect. Sociologists regularly indicate that persons who move from a rural to a more Metropolitan environment also shift their political opinions. This tells us that worldview is also at least partly dependent upon context.

In response to the election, Jason Weeden and Robert Kurzban published a rather amazing article in the op-ed pages of the New York Times. They began that article stating,

“As America completes another costly, polarized and exhausting election cycle, it’s commonplace to characterize our society as being divided into warring tribes of liberals and conservatives. But this view oversimplifies the causes of our political differences.”

Their argument continues,

“Most people aren’t ideologically pure, and most don’t derive their opinions from abstract ideologies and principles. People are more strongly influenced by the effects of policies on themselves, their families and their wider social networks. Their views, in short, are often based on self-interest.”

What should Christians think about their argument? Should we accept the fact that self-interest actually guides political decisions? From a biblical perspective, Christians ought to recognize that this is indeed the case. We should expect that in a fallen world it would be nearly impossible for any of us to escape the type of moral calculus that includes our own self-interest. And as these researchers make very clear, self-interest is not limited to an individual perspective, but to our family, to our group, or to our community. Weeden and Kurzban continue:

“This point may seem obvious, but it is overlooked by many political scientists who focus on other explanations: parents and peers, schools and universities, political parties and leaders, and that abstract and nebulous catchall, ‘values.’ But the most straightforward explanation, demographics, is also the most persuasive.”

These observations should deeply interest Christians as we consider how political opinions and political decisions are formed. The authors further state,

“Self-interest is not limited to economics. People who want to have sex but don’t at the moment want babies are especially likely to support policies that ensure access to birth control and abortion. Immigrants favor generous immigration policies. Lesbians and gay men are far more likely to oppose discrimination based on sexual orientation. . . . Those who do best under meritocracy — people who have a lot of education and excel on tests — are far more likely to want to reduce group-based preferences, like affirmative action.”

Further:

“A focus on self-interest helps explain why three-quarters of people who went to church as children don’t attend church in their 20s. The young people most likely to abandon the church are those engaging in the kinds of lifestyles — involving alcohol, recreational drugs, premarital sex and nonmarital cohabitation — that religious conservatives condemn.”

Weeden and Kurzban are pointing to something that every Christian leader, parent, or pastor must understand. On the one hand, we recognize that worldview determines behavior—what we believe is inevitably played out in our lives. But we must also recognize, as Weeden and Kurzban point out, that not only does our worldview determine behavior but the contrary is also true – our behavior often affects our worldview.

The illustration used by Weeden and Kurzban is very instructive. Young people who are involved in premarital sex, non-marital cohabitation, and recreational drugs develop a worldview to justify their activities. Of course, this is what all sinners do. Sinners want to justify their sin and in order to accomplish this they try to realign their worldview in order to create moral justification for their behavior. Christians need to understand that Weeden and Kurzban are onto something real here; not only does worldview determine behavior but behavior can determine worldview.

These two researchers are primarily interested in how this plays out in the political sphere. But Christians looking at the same article need to understand that something deeply biblical is being affirmed here. As the researchers very specifically point out, when young people get involved in what the Bible identifies as sinful activities, their worldview often shifts in an attempt to justify their actions—thus leaving the worldview commitments they may have inherited from their church and from their parents and adopting a new set of worldview presuppositions that are at peace with their behavior. As Weeden and Kurzban write, “Despite their early socialization, as adults start making their own decisions, their religion and politics usually align with their interests.”

The results of this midterm election will give intelligent Christians a great deal to think about. But when it comes to the larger issues at stake, the midterm election is simply one episode in a very long story, a story of political engagement that should lead Christians to continue to think ever more seriously about the issues that are really at stake.

This essay is a an edited transcript from the Wednesday, November 5 episode of the The Briefing.

I am always glad to hear from readers. Just write me at mail@albertmohler.com. You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/albertmohler

For more information on Southern Seminary, visit SBTS.edu and for more information on Boyce College, visit BoyceCollege.com.

Jason Weeden and Robert Kurzban, “Election 2014: Your Very Predictable Vote,” New York Times, Monday, November 3, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/04/opinion/elections-2014-quick-takes-from-columnists-and-contributors.html?_r=0

]]>Albert MohlerCampaigning over the weekend, President Obama said, “The American people are with us on all the big issues.” He continued, “You know it. I know…
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Blog,2014 Elections,WorldviewThe Briefing 10-14-14http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/10/14/the-briefing-10-14-14/
Tue, 14 Oct 2014 09:00:23 +0000/?p=32911Podcast Transcript 1) Vatican synod on family a major transformation of Roman Catholicism Vatican Signals More Tolerance Toward Gays and Remarriage, New York Times (Elisabetta Povoledo)…

]]>Albert MohlerPodcast Transcript 1) Vatican synod on family a major transformation of Roman Catholicism Vatican Signals More Tolerance Toward Gays and Remarriage, New York Times (Elisabetta Povoledo)…
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00:20:37The Briefing,Atheism,Audio,Family,Roman Catholic Church,WorldviewThe Briefing 10-01-13http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/10/01/the-briefing-10-01-13/
Tue, 01 Oct 2013 09:00:34 +0000/?p=28739Obamacare one of the most significant and morally complicated pieces of legislation in history; World leaders cannot be understood without understanding their worldview; Ivy League's incredible power to influence culture's worldview; Virginia is ground-zero for legislative effort to nationalize same-sex marriage; First time in world history: 2050 will see more adults age 60 plus than kids age 15 and under

]]>Albert MohlerObamacare one of the most significant and morally complicated pieces of legislation in history; World leaders cannot be understood without understanding their worldview; Ivy League's incredible power to influence culture's worldview; Virginia is ground-zero for legislative effort to nationalize same-sex marriage; First time in world history: 2050 will see more adults age 60 plus than kids age 15 and under
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00:17:30Education,Homosexuality,Islam,Politics,The Briefing,Trends,Aging Population,Ali Khamenei,Audio,elderly,Healthcare Exchange,Higher Education,Ivy League,Obamacare,Virginia,WorldviewWhat’s Missing from this Picture?—Fertility on the Rise, Worldview on Displayhttp://www.albertmohler.com/2013/08/05/whats-missing-from-this-picture-fertility-on-the-rise-worldview-on-display/
Mon, 05 Aug 2013 09:43:39 +0000/?p=27860USA Today reported last week that the United States “is taking baby steps forward” in terms of the fertility rate. According to the forecasting group…

]]>USA Today reported last week that the United States “is taking baby steps forward” in terms of the fertility rate. According to the forecasting group Demographic Intelligence, the USA’s total fertility rate is likely to increase to 1.90 per woman in 2013, up slightly from 1.89 in 2012. Last year’s figure was the lowest recorded in 25 years.

“The United States has seen marked declines in childbearing in the wake of the Great Recession, but we think that this fertility decline is now over,” Sam Sturgeon, president of Demographic Intelligence, told USA Today. “As the economy rebounds and women have the children they postponed immediately after the Great Recession, we are seeing an uptick in U.S. fertility.”

Sturgeon, like many others, points to economic factors as the main driver of fertility rate fluctuations. Similarly, Mark Mather of the Population Reference Bureau said: “Historically, we’ve seen fertility trends move up and down with economic indicators.”

But, wait just a minute. Economic factors certainly play a role in decisions about having children, but it hardly seems that economic factors alone can explain these fluctuations. After all, even in the bleakest of times human beings have decided to reproduce. It simply makes sense that worldview issues are also at stake.

To the credit of Demographic Intelligence, their report considered the factor of a woman’s church attendance. As USA Today reporter Cathy Payne explained: “Among women aged 15-44, those who attend religious services weekly or more have 1.42 children, compared with the 1.11 children of women who rarely or never attend. Women who attend religious services weekly intend to have 2.62 children, and those who rarely or never go want to have 2.10 children.”

So, there are other factors in play here. And church attendance is one that plays an identifiable role. As Sam Sturgeon commented, “Much of the downturn in births is related to economic factors, but economic factors do not affect the fertility decisions of all parents or future parents. We started to wonder about various groups that might make fertility decisions based on other factors, and religious persons seemed to be a natural group, so we explored this with the data.”

He then added: “Partly because religious communities provide a family-friendly context to the women who attend them, religious women are more likely to have children and to bear a comparatively high share of the nation’s children, compared to their less religious or secular peers.”

Is anyone surprised? And yet, even as this report reveals that religious factors are in play in reproductive decisions, the influence of religion is explained only in terms of the fact that “religious communities provide a family-friendly context to the women who attend them.”

Missing from this analysis is the factor of religious belief. There appears to be little recognition of the fact that what we believe about sex, marriage, and children has a great deal to do with the decisions that individuals and couples make.

In addition to the economy, previous studies have linked birth rates to geography, with so-called “red” states generally marking a higher fertility rate than “blue” states. But Christians know that the fertility rate is not just tied to how much we make or where we live—it is also tied to what we believe. Christians believe that sex, marriage, and the expectation of children go together as gifts of God such that parents should welcome every child and raise every child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

As recent cultural discussions have made fully clear, Americans differ on the meaning of children. Not everyone sees children as gifts to be received with great joy. But no other response will do when thinking in accordance with what Scripture clearly reveals. While it is undoubtedly true that congregations offer a family-friendly context that supports parents and parenthood, that context is surely formed and the children in them nourished by the joy and thanksgiving of parents and the beliefs that the congregation holds and teaches.

In other words, worldview matters.

I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at mail@albertmohler.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbertMohler.

]]>Albert MohlerUSA Today reported last week that the United States “is taking baby steps forward” in terms of the fertility rate. According to the forecasting group…
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Blog,Economy & Work,Family,Marriage,Topics,Trends,Birth Rate,Birth Rates,Childbearing,Children,Church,church community,Church Life,Economy & Work,Fertility Rates,Having Children,Religious belief,trends,Worldview,WorldviewsThe Briefing 08-02-13http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/08/02/the-briefing-08-02-13/
Fri, 02 Aug 2013 09:00:20 +0000/?p=27845Ariel Castro: the limitations of human justice and the inadequacy of therapeutic culture; Same-Sex Marriage now legal in Minnesota and Rhode Island; American fertility rate rises for first time in 25 years; Gun permits surge in Newtown Connecticut

]]>Albert MohlerAriel Castro: the limitations of human justice and the inadequacy of therapeutic culture; Same-Sex Marriage now legal in Minnesota and Rhode Island; American fertility rate rises for first time in 25 years; Gun permits surge in Newtown Connecticut
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00:18:32The Briefing,Ariel Castro,Demographics,Fertility,Gun Control,guns,Minnesota,Newtown,Pornography,Rhode Island,Same-Sex Marriage,Therapeutic Culture,WorldviewThe Briefing 05-23-13http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/05/23/the-briefing-05-23-13/
Thu, 23 May 2013 10:30:36 +0000/?p=271811) Terror in London and Orlando further reveal new face of terror ‘Barbaric Attack’ in London Prompts Meeting on Terror, New York Times (Stephen Castle)…

]]>Albert Mohler1) Terror in London and Orlando further reveal new face of terror ‘Barbaric Attack’ in London Prompts Meeting on Terror, New York Times (Stephen Castle)…
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00:21:03Childhood,Science,The Briefing,United States,ADHD,Audio,Demographics,DSM5,London,Mental Disorders,Oklahoma,Orlando,Psychiatry,Terrorism,tornado,WorldviewThe Briefing 05-15-13http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/05/15/the-briefing-05-15-13/
Wed, 15 May 2013 10:30:39 +0000http://www.albertmohler.com/?p=268811. Gosnell’s America – He is not the only one with blood on his hands Abortion stigma created Gosnell, USA Today (Vicki Saporta)Harry Reid: Kermit…

]]>Albert Mohler1. Gosnell’s America – He is not the only one with blood on his hands Abortion stigma created Gosnell, USA Today (Vicki Saporta)Harry Reid: Kermit…
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00:19:19Abortion,Homosexuality,Sex Education,The Briefing,Abortion,Audio,China,Gosnell,Parenting,Portland,reproductive technology,Sex Education,Western Values,WorldviewThe Briefing 04-23-13http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/04/23/the-briefing-04-23-13/
Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:30:27 +0000http://www.albertmohler.com/?p=267051. Boston suspect charged. Now we begin to ask why. Bomb Suspect Is Charged and Could Face the Death Penalty, New York Times (Richard A…

]]>The moral effects of pornography are, by now, well attested. The scourge of pornography has brought ruin and harm into the lives of millions of our friends and neighbors, destroying marriages, distorting sexuality, and poisoning minds. Even so, the pornography industrial complex continues to grow, representing one of the most lucrative segments of the Internet economy.

For the most part, previous research into the effects of pornography has focused on the psychological and physiological effects of pornography exposure. Among males, exposure to pornography is associated with addictive behaviors traced to the release of chemicals in the brain, stimulating arousal and excitement. In the larger context, pornography is also associated with an exaggerated masculinity, negative attitudes toward women, and relational breakdowns due to unrealistic sexual expectations.

Pornography reduces women to objects of sexual attraction and the endless permutations of sexual behaviors available on the Internet are evidence of the insatiable desire for innovation and excitement that pornography produces. This, to a large extent, is what makes pornography such an expansive industry. Its product builds an apparently insatiable appetite for more, and then even more.

More recently, research has emerged that points to another effect of pornography exposure — it warps the worldview of the viewer.

Late last year, Professor Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas argued that exposure to pornography may well influence views on the legalization of same-sex marriage. He suggested that viewing pornography leads men, in particular, to shift to more positive attitudes toward same-sex marriage. Regnerus cited the New Family Structures Survey and then reported that a majority of men who view pornographic material “every day or almost every day” agreed that same-sex marriage should be legal.

“Statistical tests confirmed that porn use is a (very) significant predictor of men’s support for same-sex marriage, even after controlling for other obvious factors that might influence one’s perspective, such as political affiliation, religiosity, marital status, education, and sexual orientation,” Regnerus explained.

He concluded by stating: “In the end, contrary to what we might wish to think, young adult men’s support for redefining marriage may not be entirely the product of ideals about expansive freedoms, rights, liberties, and a noble commitment to fairness. It may be, at least in part, a byproduct of regular exposure to diverse and graphic sex acts.” Interestingly, Regnerus also suggested that the avoidance of procreation in heterosexual pornography may also influence acceptance of the negation of procreation in homosexual acts.

In other words, “regular exposure to diverse and graphic sex acts” may well change a man’s moral worldview. While, from a Christian perspective, this is hardly shocking, the fact that the larger world of the academy has taken notice is noteworthy.

Even more recently, Paul J. Wright of Indiana University and Ashley K. Randall of the University of Arizona have published a research article in the journal Communications Research. In “Pornography Consumption, Education, and Support for Same-Sex Marriage Among Adult U.S. Males,” the two researchers consider an interesting question — Why would the use of pornography by heterosexual males lead to an increased level of support for same-sex marriage.

As they indicate, previous research had pointed to the influence of pornography exposure in developing sexual attitudes. Wright and Randall argue that exposure to pornography “activates a sexually ‘liberal’ mind-set.” This mind-set “embraces non-judgment toward and even approval of nontraditional sexual behavior.”

They state: “For instance, studies have found that pornography consumption correlates positively with approval of and/or engagement in nontraditional sexual behaviors such as having multiple sexual partners, having ongoing relationships with multiple sexual partners, one night stands, premarital sex, extramarital sex, extrarelational sex, group sex, sex for pay, and casual sex.”

Further, use of pornography was associated in males with an increased support for a more libertarian worldview that would see sexual and intimate relationships as completely outside government regulation. Even more to the point, “present pornography consumption predicted subsequent permissive sexual attitudes.”

As Wright explained their findings: “Pornography adopts an individualistic, nonjudgmental stance on all kinds of nontraditional sexual behaviors and same-sex marriage attitudes are strongly linked to attitudes about same-sex sex. If people think individuals should be able to decide for themselves whether to have same-sex sex, they will also think that individuals should be able to decide for themselves whether to get married to a partner of the same sex.”

In sum, “Since a portion of individuals’ sexual attitudes come from the media they consume, it makes sense that pornography viewers would have more positive attitudes towards same-sex marriage.”

Wright and Randall also found that the influence of pornography on attitudes toward same-sex marriage was especially pronounced among less educated males. More education was itself associated with an openness to more liberal sexual attitudes and support for same-sex marriage.

This research, taken together, offers compelling proof that an individual’s worldview is shaped by influences that are often not recognized. Therefore, the Christian thinker must be constantly aware that worldviews are not shaped only by arguments and cognitive engagements, but also by impressions and experiences.

Put bluntly, our worldview is shaped by what we allow to enter our minds. Given the massive psychological and physiological effects of pornography on male users, we should hardly be surprised that exposure to porn is so closely associated with the development of a generally permissive sexual morality and, specifically, with increased support for same-sex marriage.

Pornography is a scourge, and the magnitude of the pornography industry is a tragic commentary on the moral state of affairs in this nation. Furthermore, the pervasiveness of pornography, even among young males, indicates that the scope of the problem will only grow in years to come.

Now, we can add yet another dangerous effect to the impact of pornography — the development of a worldview that is pervasively non-judgmental and permissive about an entire range of sexual behaviors.

As Mark Regnerus notes, users of pornography are “treated to a veritable fire-hose dousing of sex-act diversity.” Now we know that this perverse diversity comes with an even greater cost — the warping of the viewer’s entire worldview.

I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at mail@albertmohler.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/albertmohler

]]>Albert MohlerThe moral effects of pornography are, by now, well attested. The scourge of pornography has brought ruin and harm into the lives of millions of…
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Blog,Effects of Pornography,Mark Regnerus,Morality,Pornography,WorldviewThe Briefing 03-04-13http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/03/04/the-briefing-03-04-13/
Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:30:38 +0000http://www.albertmohler.com/?p=26221Story 1 – Why are adultery laws there in the first place? And why do they seem archaic now? Bill to repeal adultery, sexual immorality…

]]>Albert MohlerStory 1 – Why are adultery laws there in the first place? And why do they seem archaic now? Bill to repeal adultery, sexual immorality…
The post The Briefing 03-04-13 appeared first on AlbertMohler.com.
00:17:05The Briefing,adultery,Audio,Bible Classes,Colorado,Ecumenism,Legislation,Political Divide,Public Schools,Worldview